Bad news for fans of Facebook’s rainbow emoji
Facebook appears to be removing the rainbow reaction.
The social media giant had implemented the rainbow flag reaction for users earlier this year, to celebrate LGBT pride.
The additional reaction became a huge hit with users around the world.
However at the end of the June the option disappeared – for the first time.
June is well known as Pride Month in the US, but it isn’t the same all around the world.
Pride in London takes place in July, however, and other celebrations in the UK such as UK Pride, Brighton Pride and Manchester Pride are through July and August.
READ: This is exactly how and where you can get the pride emoji back.
Following complaints from users, Facebook returned the rainbow react.
PinkNews contacted Facebook for comment at the time – to find out how long the reaction would be back – and which countries it’s available in.
At the time Facebook said it would be available around major pride celebrations in the localities of those pride festivals.
The popular reaction, though, remained for much longer.
Users reported being able to react to posts with the colourful flag right through July, regardless of whether there was a pride celebration near them.
Now – as of August – it would appear the LGBT-friendly button is finally, really gone.
During June it became clear that the site was hiding its LGBT Pride Month reactions from users in countries with anti-gay laws.
Users in Egypt, Palestine, Bahrain, Lebanon, Singapore, Russia, among other countries, are unable to access to LGBT flag.
Facebook did not explained its reasoning for withholding the reaction in the countries.
Facebook had choice wording when it launched the reaction, stating: “People in major markets with Pride celebrations will be able to use a temporary rainbow reaction during Pride month.
“You can also like this page to access the reaction, however, because this is a new experience we’ve been testing, the rainbow reaction will not be available everywhere.”
